Sectional scaffolding construction



Jan. 22, 1957 2. J. JAGIEL 2,773,693

, SECTIONAL SCAFFOLDING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 10. 1955 2 shegts-sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

\ ZzgmwzdJJayiel A TTOR/VEYS Jan. 22, 1957 2. J. JAGIEL SECTIONAL SCAFFOLDING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1953 IN V EN TOR. undJJqyzel W& ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,778,693 SECTIONAL SCAFFOLDING CONSTRUCTION Zigmund J. Jagiel, Toledo, Ohio Application April 10, 1953, Serial No. 348,071

2 Claims. (Cl. 304-2) This invention relates to a sectional scaffolding construction and more particularly and'specifically to scaffolding construction composed of plural different and separable members interconnectable in a variety of arrangements to permit assembly of the most suitable scaifolding arrangement for the needs of each particular and different job encountered.

In certain prior scaffolding constructions which include separable members capable of assembly in the form of vertical posts or struts and horizontal braces and platform supports wherein such vertical posts or struts consist of plural superimposed elements, certain locking arrangements such as locking pins, bolts, cam-type locks and the like are used to secure the plural sections of the vertical posts or struts in superimposed alignment and against lateral displacement.

These prior constructions have been found to be undesirable in that such locking arrangements substantially increase the amount of time and labor necessary for the erection and assembly of the resultant scaffolding, and such locking arrangements are extremely susceptible to damage both during storage and shipment of the parts as well as during the assembly thereof. Additionally, such complex locking arrangement constructions greatly increase the costs of manufacture of the scaffolding units.

Certain other prior scaffolding constructions include mating pin and socket arrangements between the superimposed parts forming a vertical post or strut for the purpose of maintaining said superimposed parts in vertical alignment and against lateral displacement.

It has also been found that mating pin and socket connections are undesirable because of their susceptibility to damage. The protruding pins are often bent or fractured during handling and storage of the parts, while the sockets are subject to mashing or distortion by the same causes. sockets result in a failure of proper engagement between the pins and sockets in the assembly and erection of a scaffolding construction composed of such parts. It has also been found that the costs of manufacture are relatively high in acquiring and maintaining the close and accurate tolerances necessary between pins and sockets in such constructions.

Additionally, it has been found that the majority of these prior constructions of the same general type as that constituting the present invention, when assembled in a vertical scaffolding construction, are subject to lateral twisting, tilting and collapse when uneven or heavy loads and stresses are encountered, thus creating a decided safety hazard to personnel working on these assembled constructions.

Further disadvantages are inherent in most prior scaffolding constructions of this general type wherein the arrangement and complexity of the numerous different parts constituting these assembled constructions prevent the use of uniform pipe or tube sizes throughout the construction. This factor necessarily increases the time and labor Such injuries or damage to the pins and/ or r "ice involved in assembly of such constructions, and at the same time, substantially increases the manufacturing costs of such constructions.

Still further disadvantages in prior constructions consisting of numerous different and separable parts are evidenced by the fact that the utilization of large numbers of parts of different construction reduces the adaptability and versatility of the construction when such versatility is a required and desirable factor in erecting scaffolding to meet the specific needs and requirements of the many and varied jobs encountered.

it is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a sectional scaffolding construction which substantially avoids and eliminates the many disadvantages and problems which are inherent in the manufacture and use of prior scaffolding constructions of the same general type as that constituting the present invention.

it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a scaffolding construction which is of extremely simple design and arrangement and thus capable of extremely rapid and efiicient assembly and of extremely relatively low cost manufacture as compared to prior constructions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a scaffolding construction of such simple and inexpensive design which has maximum strength and durability, and which, in assembly, affords safe and firm vertical support, strong structural arrangements resisting and preventing lateral twisting and tilting and avoids lateral collapse of the assembled construction at the joints between the several separable parts constituting the assembled construction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a scaifolding construction which consists of a minimum number of differentparts constituting the entire assembly of the construction. Thus, the numerous and varied structural arrangements which may be assembled with these different parts are obtainable at a substantial reduction in the costs and labor involved in assembly of the con struction and with substantially increased versatility of assembly over similar prior scaffolding.

Still another object of the present invention lies in the provision of a scaffolding construction which utilizes uniform and standard sized tubing throughout'the parts there'- of thus facilitating assembly of the construction and reducing the costs of manufacture.

Still a further and important object of the present invention resides in the provision of a sectional scafiolding construction which is capable of assembly and erection to form pallet racks or storage stands for parts of materials.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and preferred embodiments of whichillustrative of the best modes in which applicant has contemplated applying the principlesare set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

The new and improved sectional scaffolding construction constituting the present invention may be described in general terms as including a plurality of superimposed units, each unit including four vertical corner posts, truss bars integrally interconnecting adjacent posts in opposite pairs to form generally two opposed side frame members, sleeve members telescopically enclosing the upper ends of said posts, said sleeve members being provided upwardly from their lower ends with slotted openings, said slotted openings being engaged downwardly over the truss bars immediately therebeneath supporting the sleeves vertically on the posts and preventing rotation thereof about said posts, each of said sleeve members extending for a spaced distance above the upper end of its associated post, tie bar means interconnecting the sleeve members on the posts of one frame member with the corresponding sleeve memberson the corresponding adjacent posts of the opposite frame member, and preferably a diagonal tie bar having enlarged sleeve members at each extremity thereof positioned with the sleeve members thereof telescopically engaged over the first defined sleeve members on the diagonally opposed posts of the two frame members, and a second unit positioned with the lower ends of the posts of the two frame members thereof telescopically received in the upper extended portions of the sleeve members on the lower frames to bring the lower ends of the upper posts in superimposed abutment with the lower posts within the sleeves to be retained therein against lateral displacement.

By way of example an embodiment of the improved sectional scaffolding construction constituting the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of one of the side frame members;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the tie bar and sleeve members secured integrally at the extremities thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the diagonal tie bar and its associated sleeve members;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a two-stage assembly of the improved scaffolding construction;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pallet rack scaffolding construction forming a modification of the instant invention;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line "i-7, Fig. 6; and,

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8$, Fig. 7.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, a sectional scaffolding construction constituting one possible embodiment of the instant invention is shown in Fig. 4 as including a plurality of like side frame members 10. (Fig. 1), a plurality of tie bar members 11 (Fig. 2) and a diagonal tie member 12. (Fig. 3).

As seen in Fig. l the main or side or truss frame members each consist of a pair of end or corner column members or posts 13 each having the same length and formed of tubular stock. These end posts 13 are interconnected by a pair of truss bars 14 also of tubular stock, which are attached to the posts by welding or the like.

The. truss bars 14 are spaced apart longitudinally of the posts and secured thereto at equally spaced distances inwardly from the opposite ends thereof providing each post with equal end extension portions 15 beyond the spaced truss bars 14.

The spaced truss bars 14 are connected together intermediate their ends by inclined tubular truss or brace members 16 spaced apart longitudinally of the truss bars and secured at their ends to the truss bars by welding or the like. Each of the tie bar members 11, as seen in Fig. 2, consists of an elongated tubular bar 17 which is provided at each end with a sleeve member 18 disposed perpendi cularly crosswise of the end of the bar 17 and secured thereto by welding or the like. The ends of said sleeves 18 are located equidistant from the axial center line of the bar member 17. The inside diameter of the tubular sleeves 18 is such that the sleeve members will telescopically engage with slight clearance over the extended portions 15 of the post members 13 of the side frames 10.

The same, or corresponding, ends of each of said sleeve members 18 are provided with a longitudinally extending slotted opening 19 in the sleeve side wall, with the slotted opening in each sleeve being disposed 90 from the axis of'the bar member 17 and with the slotted openings of the twosleeves on a single tie bar extending in the same direction from the bar member 17 and in parallel.

The slotted openings 19 in the sleeve members 13 extend longitudinally from corresponding ends of the sleeves for a distance substantially of the posts 15 at the point of their attachment to said posts. Likewise, the breadth of the slotted openings 19 in the sleeve members 18 laterally of the sleeve members is slightly greater than the thickness of the truss bar members 14 laterally of the axis of the posts 15 at their points of attachment to said posts.

As is best seen in Fig. 5, the ends of the truss bars 14 and of the bar member 17 of the tie bar 11 are flattened laterally to bring the entire circumferential surface of the open end of these bars into flush contact with the side walls of the posts 15 or the sleeves 18 as the case may be, thus avoiding the necessity of laterally contouring the ends of these tubular members in order to insure a close continuous engagement between their open ends and the posts or sleeve members, as the case may be, when they are welded to these posts or sleeve members.

This flattening of the ends of the truss bars 14 and bar members 17 of the tie bars 16 accounts for the elongated, narrow, U-shaped configuration of the slotted openings 19 which, in manners to be hereinafter described, slidably engage vertically over these tubular bar members.

Referring to Fig. 3, the diagonal tie bar 12 consists of an elongated tubular bar member 20, the ends of which are flattened laterally, as described with respect to bar members 14 and 17, and welded centrally to a pair of sleeves 21 which are disposed perpendicularly endwise of the bar 26. The inside diameter of the sleeves 21 is such that the sleeves will telescopically engage over the sleeve members 18 of the tie bar members 11.

In constructing or assembling a scaffolding arrangement utilizing a plurality of the separable elements shown in Figs. 1 through 3 and described above to provide a vertical tower type of scaffold such as shown in Fig. 4, the separable and different elements above noted are assembled as follows:

A pair of end frames 10 are arranged with their end posts 13 in vertical position and with the frames generally disposed in parallel opposition and spaced apart a distance equal to the end-to-end length of said frames.

A pair of tie bar members 11 are positioned with the sleeves 18 of each member telescopically engaged downwardly over the upper extended projections 15 of the adjacent, corresponding end posts 13 of the two side frames, thereby forming a square unit.

When the sleeve members 18 of the tie bar members 11 are telescoped downwardly over the extended portions 15 on the side frames the slotted openings 19 therein slidably engage downwardly over the upper truss bars 14 of each of the frames whereby the two side frames 10 are rigidly interconnected by the tie bars 11, and the slotted openings 19 engaging with the upper truss bars 14 of these frames securely lock the sleeves against lateral rotation or twisting relative to the end post extended portions 15.

When the sleeve members 18 are so positioned and locked on the end posts of the side frames, the sleeves will extend upwardly for a spaced distance above the upper extremity of the upper extended portions 15 of end posts on each of the frames to provide a socket for purposes to be hereinafter described.

The final assembly feature in the first stage or tier of the scaifolding tower preferably is the positioning of the diagonal tie member 2% with the sleeves 21 thereof telescopically engaged downwardly over the upper extended portions of the sleeve members 18 on the diagonally opposed end posts 13 of the two oppositely positioned end frames 10.

The vertical depth of the sleeves 21. on the diagonal tie members 29 is such that the lower ends of the sleeves will rest on the tie bar members 17 extending outwardly from the sleeve members 18 with the upper ends of the sleeves 21 lying in the same'horizontal plane with the upper ends of the inner sleeve members 18;

art" 1 Having thus completed the first stage or tier of the scaffolding tower assembly, the second tier, which is substantially identical with the first, is superimposed upon the first by placing a second pair of side frames with the lower extended portions thereof telescopically engaged downwardly in the upwardly disposed socket portions of the sleeve members 18 of the tie bar members 11 in the lower stage or tier assembly.

The uppermost pair of side frames 10 may be mounted or positioned directly above the side frames 10 of the lower stage or tier or, by reason of the equal length the tie bar members 11 and the side frames 10, the upper pair of side frames 10 may be positioned perpendicularly to the side frames of the lower stage or tier with the lower extended portions 15 of each of these frames received downwardly into the sleeve members 18 on the adjacent and corresponding end posts of the two frames of the lower pair thus alternating or staggering the side frames 10 in each successive tier or stage of the tower construction.

The upper pair of side frames 10 are alternated (Fig. 4) in the second tier so that the tie bar members 11 in the second tier arrangement are positioned above the side frame members it) of the first stage or tier and perpendicularly of the tie bar member 11 of the lower stage or tier.

Referring to Fig. 5, wherein there is shown in greater detail the interconnection and locking assembly of the three separable elements constituting the scaffolding construction shown in Fig. 4, the end posts 13 of the upper and lower frame members superimposed one above the other with the upper end of the extended portion 15 of the lowermost post receiving the lower extended portion 15 of the upper post in endwise abutment as at 22 whereby the lowermost post member 13 firmly supports the uppermost post 15 in a vertical direction as a column.

Surrounding the abutted post portions 15 is the tie bar sleeve member 18 which extends for a spaced distance above and below the abutted post portions 15 and from which extends the bar member 17 perpendicularly from a central port-ion thereof. The upper truss bar member 1.4 of the lowermost side frame 10 has its flattened end portion welded as at 23 to the lowermost post portion 15 and the slotted opening 19 in the sleeve member 18 is slidably engaged downwardly over the flattened end portion of the truss bar 14-, to lock the sleeve against lat eral rotation and twisting relative to the lower post member 15.

The diagonal tie member 12 is positioned with sleeve 21 thereon telescopically engaged downwardly over the upper end of the sleeve member 18, this diagonal tie member being positioned prior to the superimposition of the upper frame members as described above, so that the lower end of the sleeve member rests on the uppermost portion of the flattened end portion of the tie member 17 extending perpendicularly to the sleeve member 18 and with the upper end of the sleeve member 21 coinciding with the upper end of the sleeve member 18 it is possible using the general arrangement as shown in Fig. 4, the details of each corner post joint being shown in detail in Pig. 5, to construct a scaffolding tower having four corner posts and four sides of equal length to any desired height within multiple increments of the length of posts 13 of the side frame members 10.

It is also possible using structural elements similar to those above described to construct a pallet or rack or storage stand for materials in an assembly as generally shown in Fig. 6.

In this modified scaffolding construction for the provision of a pallet rack, 21 pair of end frame members generally indicated at 24 are disposed in parallel opposition and are interconnected by a pair of tubular putlog members, generally indicated at 25, which serve to maintain the frames in vertical positions and which also serve to 6 support materials or material-carrying pallets stacked thereacross.

In providing the pallet rack construction the end frames 24, which are similar in construction to the side frame members 10 described above, include a pair of end posts 26, formed of tubular stock, which are interconnected by a pair of truss bars 27 extending in parallel spaced relationship between the end posts 26 and which are welded at their ends to said posts by constructions identical with those described above with respect to such attachment.

In the end frames 24 of this modified construction, the lowermost truss bar may be spaced at a greater distance from the lower ends of the end posts 26 than the spacing of the uppermost bars from the upper ends of the posts in order to provide a frame of greater elevation than the side frame members 10, and conventional foot members 28 may be carried on the lower extended ends of the end posts 'of these frame members.

Sleeve members 29, similar to sleeve members 18 in the construction of Fig. 2, having slotted openings 30 extending longitudinally upwardly from the lower ends thereof are adapted to slidably engage downwardly over the uppermost truss bar on the side frame to lock the sleeves on the end posts against lateral rotation and twisting, and said sleeve members 29 are of such a length as to extend for a spaced distance upwardly beyond the upper ends of the end posts 26 to form sockets for the reception of the lower ends of the end posts of a second frame positioned above said first frame with the lower ends thereof in superimposed abutment upon the upper ends of the posts of the lower frame.

Each of the sleeve members 29 has a fiat bar member 31 welded thereto to extend perpendicularly therefrom in horizontal position inwardly above the end frame member therebeneath, and the extended end of each of said members 31 has a tubular member 32 welded crosswise thereof in a horizontal plane and in such a manner so that the lowermost portion of the tubular member 32 will rest on and extend perpendicularly of the uppermost truss member of the end frame 24 immediately therebeneath.

Thus in assembling a pallet rack, sleeve members 29 will be telescopically engaged downwardly over the upper ends of the end posts of each of the two opposed end frame members 24, with the bar members 31 extending in opposition to each other on each end frame member and with said tubular members 32 supported by the sleeve members on corresponding and adjacent posts of the two frame members in axial alignment and between said frame members in order that a pair of tubular putlogs 25 may be slidably inserted in said aligned pairs of tubular members to derive end support therefrom, and at the same time to afford longitudinal support for the rack maintaining the end frame members in their vertical positions.

Likewise, when the putlog members are positioned between two aligned pairs of tubular members 32 these putlogs serve as spaced lateral supports for stacking or piling material or pallets thereon or for receiving planking or the like to form a platform therebetween for the reception and support of materials thereon.

Additionally, as in the case of the first embodiment of the present invention above described, a second pair of end frame members 24 may be superimposed upon the first and lower pair with the upwardly disposed socket portions of the sleeve members 29 serving to receive the lower ends of the upper frame member and posts therein in end-to-end abutment with the uppermost ends of the end posts 26 of the lower frame members. Additional sleeve members 29 carrying tubular members 32 thereon are attachable to the upper ends of the uppermost frame members to form a second deck or tier for the pallet rack.

'It is possible using the general arrangement as shown in Figs. 6 through 8 to construct a pallet rack of multiple superimposed tiers.

The general arrangements and constructions described above provide a sectional scaffolding construction utilizing a minimum number of parts, and provide a maximum number of arrangements of scaffolding with the maximum of safety and strength, all at minimum costs of manufacture and assembly.

By utilizing sleeve members having slotted openings therein vertically of the sleeves engaging over horizontal bar members throughout the construction, lateral twisting rotation and collapse of the resultant assembled scaffolding is avoided since the perpendicular sides of the scaffolding are rigidly and securely locked against relative movement.

The provision of the diagonal tie member in the cor.- struction affords additional rigidity for the scaffolding construction.

Further advantages of strength and safety are inherent in the use of the sleeve members in the above-described constructions to receive the lowermost ends of superimposed units therein thus maintaining them against lateral displacement as they are vertically supported upon the upper ends of the columns or posts of the lower unit immediately therebeneath.

Thus with a minimum number of parts and constructions of maximum simplicity, applicant has acquired the ultimate in strength and safety in a scaffolding construction which is of extremely low cost of manufacture, which is extremely versatile in its ability to assume unlimited assembly arrangements to meet the requirements of the many and varied jobs encountered, and which is of extremely low cost of manufacture.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sectional scafiolding structure including four upright corner posts each composed of sections superimposed on one another in end-to-end abutment, truss bar means integrally interconnecting adjacent lower post sections to form a first pair of opposite similar side frame members, sleeve members telescopically engaging over the upper ends of the post sections of the first pair of side frame members and supported on the truss bar means immediately therebeneath, said sleeve members extending for a spaced distance above the upper ends of said lower post sections, a second pair of similar side frame members similar to said first pair of side frame members above the first pair of side frame members, the lower ends of the post sections of the second pair of side frame members being telescopically received in said sleeve members and laterally retained and supported in superimposed abutment on the upper ends of the post sections of the first pair of side frame members, each of the sleeve members being provided with a longitudinally extending slotted opening extending upwardly for a spaced distance from the bottom of the sleeve member, the slotted opening in each of said sleeve members downwardly engaging over the truss bar means extending from the post section immediately therebeneath; whereby the sleeve members are vertically supported and retained against lateral twisting relative to said post sections, and tie bar means rigidly interconnccting the sleeve members on one side frame member of the first pair thereof with the sleeve members on the adjacent corresponding post sections of the other side frame member of the first-named pair.

2. A sectional scaffolding structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the sleeve members on diagonally opposed post sections of said first pair of side frames are provided with additional sleeve members telescopically engaged downwardly over the upper ends of said first-named sleeve members and resting on the tie bar means extending therefrom, and a tie bar rigidly interconnecting these additional diagonally located sleeve members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,408,553 Wedemann Mar. 7, 1922 1,828,487 Booser Oct. 20, 1931 1,890,420 Smith Dec. 6, 1932 2,125,830 Uecker et al. Aug. 2, 1938 2,181,784 Dugan et al Nov. 28, 1939 2,311,988 Lavin Feb. 23, 1943 2,452,437 OSullivan Oct. 26, 1948 2,462,429 Sachs Feb. 22, 1949 2,613,114 Hagan Oct. 7, 1952 2,599,670 Thomas June 10, 1952 2,665,950 Johnson Jan. 12, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 453,785 Italy Dec. 14, 1949 

